Originally published August 17 2005
FDA approves better meningitis vaccine
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A new meningitis vaccine has been developed and approved by the FDA that can last longer than the pervious vaccine.
Hours later came the startling diagnosis: He had meningococcal disease, a potentially deadly infection that frequently occurs among people who live in close quarters, such as college dorms.
Less than a month later, Evan was dead.
Since then, a lot has happened in the fight to save others from the disease, said Lynn Bozof, executive director of the National Meningitis Association, a nonprofit organization founded by parents of children who have died or suffered long-term effects of the disease.
Perhaps the biggest development was the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval earlier this year of a new meningococcal disease vaccine that's believed to last longer than the older vaccine.
And in May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strengthened and broadened the guidelines for those who should get the shot.
Teens and young adults are particularly vulnerable, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all cases in the United States.
Of those who survive, up to 20 percent will suffer a permanent disability, such as limb amputation, hearing loss, even brain damage, according to the National Meningitis Association.
Infections can strike the blood -- called meningococcemia -- or the fluid of the spinal cord or the brain, a condition called meningitis, the CDC notes.
The disease most often hits preteens, teens and young adults, and the symptoms can be confused with less-threatening illnesses.
Certain lifestyle factors, including crowded living conditions, a move to a new residence, and attendance at a new school with students from geographically diverse areas, are thought to heighten the risk for the disease.
Under the guidelines released in May, the CDC now recommends routine vaccination of children 11 or 12 years old.
Parents should discuss the new vaccine with their children's pediatrician when a child turns 11, Bocchini said.
For certain kids, the earlier the better for the vaccine.
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